Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, and Statement of Purpose

Do I need to have transcripts sent for every college-level class that I have taken?

Applicants to every degree program offered by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences are required to submit official transcripts of each college or university attended. A college senior should submit an official transcript of work completed in the first semester of the senior year as soon as it is available. Applicants who have received degrees from institutions outside the U.S. must provide certified copies and certified English translations of transcripts or records of all previous post-secondary education. Photocopies or faxes of these documents are not acceptable.

I attended and/or graduated from an institution outside of the U.S. Should I submit a transcript from that school?

Applicants who have attended and/or received degrees from institutions outside the U.S. must provide certified copies and certified English translations of transcripts or records of all previous post-secondary education and of all degrees conferred. Please note that applicants who have earned degrees from an Indian institution must have both a Bachelor's degree as well as Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree with a post-graduate Diploma in a relevant field to be eligible to apply to any Master's program at the Graduate School.

I will not receive my degree until the summer. Must I submit another transcript showing the degree was conferred?

Applicants are required to submit official final transcripts or a certified document showing all degrees earned. If you are offered admission, you must submit transcripts or certified documents showing all degrees conferred as soon as they become available, even if the degree will not be conferred until the semester of matriculation begins.

How many copies of each transcript should I send?

The Graduate School requires only one official transcript from each school attended. Photocopies of transcripts will not be accepted.

How many letters of recommendation are required?

Two letters of recommendation are required for the Graduate School; however, most departments/programs require three letters. Please refer to our Degree Programs and Requirements page for more information. Please remember that letters of recommendation should be in English and written by faculty members in your proposed field of graduate study who are familiar with American higher education.

Can letters of recommendation be faxed or e-mailed to the Admissions Office or to the department?

No, we will not accept emailed or faxed recommendation as official credentials for your application. Recommenders must either submit a paper recommendation or an online recommendation. The paper recommendation form can be downloaded here. Recommenders can only submit recommendations online if the applicants submits an application online. Please read the instructions on the online application for sending the online recommendation link to your recommenders.

Will you accept letters of recommendation mailed from my university’s career center or letter service?

Yes, we do accept letters of recommendation from university or college career services. Your letters should be up-to-date and pertain to the program or area of study to which you are applying. However, we do not accept letters of recommendation from Interfolio.

Where do I send letters of recommendation and transcripts?

Transcripts, letters of recommendation and other supplemental application material should be mailed in one packet, if possible, for the fastest possible processing, to the Admissions Office at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 705 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 112, 705 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Supporting credentials that are being sent separately from the application package should be sent to the same address and they will be matched to your application. Uploaded copies of credentials on the online application will not be considered official.

My recommender is out of the country and cannot access the recommendation form from the paper application. Can the recommendation be submitted without the form?

Your recommender can submit a letter of recommendation without the form; however, your full name and the department to which you are applying should be present on each page of the recommendation letter. This will ensure that the recommendation is matched with your application. However we encourage our students to ask their recommenders to fill out the recomendation form for ease and clarity of application processing.

What should I write in my statement of purpose?

Applicants to every degree program offered by the Graduate School are required to submit a Personal Statement/Statement of Purpose of not fewer than 200 words. This statement must describe your qualifications and the objectives of your intended educational program at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. If you need any further details about the contents of the Personal Statement , please contact the department to which you are applying.

How do I submit my statement of purpose?

When applying online, you can upload your statement. Your uploaded document should be no more than 5 pages and should be in a Western European or other English-language setting. We cannot guarantee the ability to print your statement if it contains non-English symbols. If you apply with a paper application, you should submit your Personal Statement with your application. Whichever way the statement is submitted, it should contain on every page the following identifying information: your name, date of birth, and the department to which you are applying.